My Family

My Story

How did you arrive at running this business?

I purchased the practice when I was in dental school. I had to hire another dentist to run the office for 4 months until I graduated. Once I graduated, I started at the practice with 1 dental assistant and 1 front desk person. I did my own cleanings for several months until I was able to hire a Hygienist. This was back in 1979.

Did you always know that you wanted to be a Dentist? Why/How?

No. I grew up on a farm milking cows and all I knew is that I didn’t want to keep doing that. I did well in school and knew that I wanted to go to college. I moved out when I was 16 years old, but still milked cows to pay for college. I would milk cows from 2:30am – 8am and then go to school for the rest of the day. I was burned out! My Scout Master asked me to move to Arizona, which is when I met my wife Marcene. She was 16 and I, 18. After my mission, I went to school for Pre-Med. Marcene was working for a Dentist at the time. One night she came home and said, “My Father is a Physician and he was rarely home growing up, and the Dentist I work for gets to spend a lot more time with his family than my Dad did.” It was then, that I decided to be a Dentist.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

Over the years I’ve enjoyed creating beautiful smiles, but I’m most passionate about the relationships I’ve created with my patients, my colleagues and my team.

What are you most passionate about personally? What do you really enjoy?

I’ve always said that my family comes first. They are my priority! Now that my kids have grown, my grandkids are at the age that I can do fun stuff with them. I always looked up to my Grandpa and he spent quality time with me as a child, I want to be able to do the same for my grandkids.

Where did you grow up and why aren’t you there now?

I was born in Idaho. We moved 12 times by the time I graduated from high school. I ended up in Arizona because I love it here and I love my wife, who doesn’t want to live anywhere but here.

Any specific charities you love, & why?

Through my affiliation with Crown Council, I have been able to meet several like-minded people who are extremely remarkable and do a lot of good. I have been able to contribute to that good and some day when I retire; I hope to do more humanitarian projects. I don’t love one specific charity over the others; I just love to help change people’s lives.

Video Interview

Contact Us

Phoenix

4444 N 32nd St Ste 208Phoenix, AZ 85018

Scottsdale

20511 N Hayden Rd Ste 150Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Mesa

4540 E Baseline Rd Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206

Harris Dental is known throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area for quality and compassionate dental care. They offer comprehensive dental services from general dentistry to cosmetic dentistry and dental implants. They even provide sedation dentistry for those with dental phobia. We have four locations in the Valley of the Sun: Phoenix, Mesa, Queen Creek, and Scottsdale. We make it easy for patients in these and surrounding communities, including Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale and Peoria, Arizona, to receive the exceptional dental care they both need and deserve.